Spring support for upholstered furniture



P 1 s. s. BERNSTEIN 2,014,611

SPRING SUPPORT FOR UPI-IOLSTERED FURNITURE Filed Dec. 30, 1935 mm mmPatented Sept. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES SPRING SUPPORT FOR UPHOLSTEREDFURNITURE Samuel S. Bernstein, Beverly Hills, Calif.

- Application December 30, 1933, Serial No. 704,723

8 Claims.

This invention has to do in a general way with the manufacture offurniture, andis more particularly related to the improvements in theconstruction of seats for upholstered furniture.

As is well known to those familiar with the art, the seats forupholstered chairs, davenports, and the like, ordinarily comprise aframe provided with a fabric bottom which may either be a single sheetor a plurality of webbing strips secured to the bottom of the frame.This fabric bottom constitutes the support for a plurality of foundationsprings which usually are of the double cone type and are anchored tothe fabric bottom with any suitable means such as threads or cords.These foundation springs are ordinarily secured to each other and to theframe by means of cross cords. This unit, which may be covered by meansof a cover fabric, constitutes the support for the seat cushion.

Due to the fact thatthe majority of the weight is thrown upon themid-portion of the seat, the bottom fabric in the course of time tendsto stretch and sag so that it is visible beneath the bottom of thechair, making an unsightly and consequently undesirable construction. Inaddition to the unsightliness of this feature, the sagging of the bottomfabric tends to cock or tilt the foundation springs supported thereon,and as a consequence these springs tend to tear loose from theiranchorage and become more extremely tilted or cooked and will eventuallywear through either the bottom fabric or the top fabric; in some extremecases causing excessive wear in the seat cushion. In any event, thesagging of the fabric bottom makes for an uncomfortable and consequentlyundesirable construction.

It is one object of this invention to provide a seat construction withmeans for preventing the fabric bottom sagging below the planev of thelower edge of the frame. My invention contemplates a construction inwhich the fabric bottom is always supported as a drum head in a singleplane regardless of the load placed on the center of the fabric.

A further object of the invention is, therefore, to provide a seatconstruction of the class described with means for positively preventingany substantial movement of the fabric bottom when the seat is eithersubjected to or relieved of weight. This prevents the spring beingcocked or tilted either in an"unloaded or a loaded position, andrelieves the tying cords and cross cords of undue strain and wear.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device of theclass described which is of simple form and construction and which maybe economically manufactured and incorporated in the furniture.

It is a further object 'of this invention to provide a device of theclass described which is 6 readily accessible for adjustment both at thetime of installation and from time to time during the life of thefurniture.

The details in the construction of certain preferred forms of myinvention, together with other 10 objects attending its production, willbe best understood from the following description of the accompanyingdrawing which is chosen for illustrative purposes only, and in whichFig. 1 is a plan view of a chair seat with the 15 cushion, cover fabric,and cross cords removed showing a preferred form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation which 20 may be considered ashaving been taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing a modified form ofthe invention;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the device 25 shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing another modifiedform of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a plan view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating still'anothermodification; and 30 Fig. 8 is an inverted plan view of the device shownin Fig. 7.

More particularly describing the invention as herein illustrated,reference numeral ll indicates a seat frame which is supported by legsI2. The 35 frame I I, which comprises a pair of side rails 13 and I3, afront rail l4, and a back rail I4, is provided with a fabric bottoml5"which, in this form of my invention, is shown as comprising a singlesheet of fabric (canvas, heavy burlap, or 40 the like) which is securedat its margins to the undersides of the rails. This fabric bottomsupports a plurality of foundation springs generally indicated byreference numeral l6, such springs F being anchored or secured to thefabric in any conventional manner.

It was pointed out above, as the primary ob- .ject of this invention toprovide in a seat structure of the class described, means for holdingthe fabric bottom against any substantial movement during either theapplication or removal of weight from the seat. This is accomplished ina general way by providing auxiliary supporting means for themid-portion of the fabric bottom. In other words, I secure a pluralityof tension members to the mid-portion of the fabric bottom and extendthese members upwardly to or over suitable bearing supports formed orprovided at or near the upper edges of the frame. In the form of myinvention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, this is accomplished bysewing or otherwise securing to the fabric bottom l5 a fabric patch ll.This patch covers the mid-portion of the fabric bottom, being secured tothe upper surface thereof, and it is to this patch that I secure thetension members above referred o. In this particular construction, thetension members are formed by sewing the patch to the fabric bottom soas to leave a plurality of free ears I8 and 18. To the free ends ofthese ears, I secure secondary tension members in the form of cablesindicated by reference numerals I9 and I9.

In this connection, it is to be understood that the word cable as usedherein refers to any relatively small flexible member such as a wire, awire cable, a rope, a cord, or the like.

The cables IS in this form of my invention are shown as extending overbearing plates 20 mounted on the upper edge of the front rail I 4 andcurved so as to offer a minimum frictional resistance. After passingover the bearing members 20, the cables extend downwardly throughgrooves formed in the front of the front rail [4 and over additionalbearing plates 2| provided on the lower edge of the front rail so thattheir free ends extend rearwardly beneath the bottom fabric. The cablesl9 follow a similar course over the back rail l4, and the free ends ofthe cables are interconnected beneath the bottom fabric through themedium of an adjustable clamp or clip, generally indicated by referencenumeral 23.

In this particular construction, the sets of cables l9 and I9 eachconstitute a loop of one cable, the cable l9 having the loop whichconstitutes its free end secured in an eye 24 on a hook plate 25. Theplate 25 has a tongue 26 adapted for reception in one of a plurality ofapertures 26' in a clamping plate 21 which is hinged at 28 to a thirdplate 29 to which the second cable loop I9 is secured through an eye 30.

The parts are held in a locked or clamped position as shown in fulllines in Fig. 3 by means of a slip ring 3| slidably mounted on the plate29. This clamp provides a convenient means for adjustably maintaining apredetermined tension in the tension members which comprise the cablesand the ears, and it will be seen from the broken line position that thetension members may be released by moving the slip ring 3| forward andthat the tension may be increased by placing the tongue 26 in anaperture 26' which is near the eye 30.

It will be understood of course that various other types of connectionsmay be used at this point without departing from the scope of theinvention.

It will be seen that this construction will positively prevent anysubstantial downward movement of the fabric under the influence of a.body load on the seat. Assuming that a body load were applied to thecenter of the fabric of sufficient weight to establish contact with theclamp member 23, it' is obvious that downward movement, due to thisload, will be opposed by the four "Lrnsion members which are connectedto the adjustment clamp, thereby acting upon the entire central area ofthe fabric bottom.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the principle andthe resultant action is similar to that obtained in the constructiondescribed above; however, instead of using one large reinforcing patchin the fabric bottom l5a, I employ a plurality of small patches 35 whichare secured to the fabric bottom so as to leave ears 36, such patchesbeing arranged symmetrically about a central area on the fabric bottom.The ear 36 is secured through any suitable means to a cable 31 whichextends upwardly through an eye or bearing member 38 provided on theinner face of the frame rail 39. The cable extends downwardly from thebearing member 38 through a second bearing member 38' and the free endsof the cables arranged in this manner are interconnected beneath thefabric bottom through a suitable ad table clamp as that described inconnection with Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive.

In the form of my invention shown in Fig. 6, the cable 31 insteadofextending to a point beneath the fabric bottom extends through an eye orhearing member 38" and has its free end secured to a screw member 42which in turn projects upwardly through a bearing bracket 43 and has awing nut 44 on its lower end whereby the tension in the cable or tensionmember may be adjusted.

It is to be understood that the type of cable support shown in eitherFigs. 4 or 6 may be employed in conjunction with the type of patch shownin Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, or that the type of patch shown in Fig. 4,for example, may be employed in conjunction with the cable support shownin Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive. It will also be apparent that the cables ortension members can be secured directly to the fabric bottom through asuitable eye formed therein. However, this construction is not asdesirable as the one shown, since it tends to weaken the fabric. It willalso be understood .that modifications may be made in the types ofbearing members, for example, rollers may be employed in a device of thetype shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 7 and 8, I show the seatframe as comprising marginal rails 45, 45' and 46, 46'. The fabricbottom in this frame is composed of a plurality of webbing stripsgenerally indicated by reference numeral 41, such strips being securedat their ends to the marginal rails. The tension means for supportingthe mid-portion of the fabric bottom in this form of my invention,comprises a pair of crossed fabric strips 48 and 49, which are securedat their region of intersection 50 to the mid-portion of the fabricbottom made up of the webbing strips 41. It is to be understood thatvarious means may be employed for securing the crossed tension strips 48and 49 to the upper surface of the fabric bottom. In the form shown, Iindicate these strips as having been sewed as indicated at 5|.

The free portions of the strips 48 and 49 are twisted and drawn over theupper edges of the marginal rails 45 and 45' and downwardly along thebottom where the free ends 49E and 49E of the strip 49 are opposite thefree ends 48E and 48E of the strip 48. These strips are secured insuitable clamping elements indicated at 55 and 55', such clampingelements being interconnected by suitable adjusting means such as thescrews and thumb nuts indicated generally by reference numerals 60 and60'.

It will be seen that in this form of my invention the tension membersare interconnected in separate pairs or sets beneath the fabric bottomwhereas in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive all four tensionmembers are interconnected through the single adjustable clampingassembly. It is to be understood that, while I have herein described andillustrated certain preferred forms of my invention, the invention isnot limited to the precise structural features shown and describedherein, but includes within its scope whatever changes fairly comewithin the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination of a seat frame consisting of four rails; a fabricbottom secured to the bottoms of said rails; bearings at the top andbottom edges of oppositely disposed rails; a plurality of tensionmembers secured to the top surface of said fabric and extending firstover 'said top bearings, then over said bottom bear ings and along. theundersurface of said fabric bottom; and adjustable means forinterconnecting the free ends of said tension members beneath saidfabric bottom.

2. The combination of: a seat frame consisting.of four rails; a fabricbottom secured to the bottoms of said rails; a plurality of. tensionmembers fixedly secured to the top surface of said fabric bottom andextending upwardly toward the upper edges of oppositely disposed rails;bearing means at the upper edges of said rails for supportingintermediate portions of said tension means; and adjustable meanssecured" to the free end portions of said tension members andinterconnecting same beneath said fabric bottom for holding said tensionmembers in tension and in engagement with the undersurface of saidfabric bottom.

3. The combination of: a seat frame; a fabric bottom secured to thelower edge of said frame; oppositely disposed bearing means at the upperedge of said frame; corresponding bearingmeans at the bottom edge ofsaid frame; a pinrality of flexible tension members secured to saidfabric bottom and extending first upwardly over said upper bearingmeans, then downwardly to said bottom bearing means, then inwardly alongthe undersurface of said fabric bottom; and adiustable means situatedbelow said fabric bottom and secured to said tension members formaintaining said tension members in tension.

4. The combination of a seat frame having a fabric bottom adapted tosupport foundation springs; means for preventing downward displacementof the mid-portionof said fabric bottom comprising a plurality ofupwardly extending tension members fixedly secured to a central area ofsaid fabric bottom; and adjustable means secured to said tension membersfor maintaining them in tension, said tension members extending overbearings at the upper edge of said frame,

then downwardly along the sides of said frame and then inwardly beneathsaid fabric bottom and in engagement with the undersurface thereof.

5. The combination. of: a seat frame having a fabric bottom adapted tosupport foundation 5 springs; means for preventing downward displacementof the mid-portion of said fabric bottom comprising a plurality ofupwardly extending tension members fixedly secured to a central area ofsaid fabric bottom; said tension members including cables which extendover the upper. edges of said frame and along the underside of saidfabric bottom; and means interconnecting the free ends of said cablesbeneath said fabric bottom for maintaining same in tension.

6. The combination of: a seat frame having a fabric bottom adapted tosupport foundation springs; means for preventing downward displacementof the mid-portion of said fabric bottom comprising a plurality ofupwardly extending tension members secured to a central area of saidfabric bottom; and means secured to said tension members for maintainingthem in tension, said fabric bottom comprising a fabric sheet secured tosaid frame at its margins, and said tension members comprising fabricears secured to said fabric sheet, and cables secured to said earsextending over the upper edges of said frame downwardly along the sidesof said frame and inwardly along the underside of said fabric bot- 3tom, and adjustable means interconnecting the free ends of said cablesbeneath said fabric bottom. v

7. The combination of a seat frame having a fabric bottom; a patchsecured to the top surface and at the mid-portion of said fabric bottomto provide four free ears spaced inwardly from the corners of saidframe; a cable secured to each ear; a hearing at the upper edge of saidframe supporting each cable, said cables extending downwardly along thesides of said frame and inwardly along the under surface of said fabricbottom; and means interconnecting the free ends of said cables formaintaining the same in tension.

8. The combination of a seat frame consisting of side rails and frontand back rails; a sheet fabric bottom secured at its margins to thebottom of said frame; a patch secured to the midportion of the-topsurface of said bottom; free 50 ears on said patch; tension memberssecured to said ears and extending respectively over the top and bottomedges of the front and back rails of said frame to points beneath saidfabric bottom; and adjustable means for releasably intercon- 65. nectingsaid tension members beneath said fabric bottom.

summs. Barium.-

